Hey ya'll
It has been way too long since this site had any new content. I apologize, adult life and all that.
This year is particularly tricky with COVID limiting games and showcases, particularly the NFL combine, but we are going to do out best. I always feel like the biggest thing is identifying what are the areas of opportunity for each of the teams. That should be possible, regardless of how much we trust the evaluation of the players we mock up to meet those needs.
Without further ado, here is Version 1 of my NFL 2021 Mock Draft.
ROUND 1
PICK 1: JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Trevor Lawrence
Ok, so this one is pretty easy. The entire world is sold on the idea that Trevor Lawrence should be drafted as soon as is allowed by the NCAA and NFL, which puts the Jags in the driver's seat for sure. With them already having multiple first round picks, I think it is a fair bet that they will stay put.
That combined with a glaring need at QB leads me to agree with the rest of the world, as much as I do hate going with the crowd.
Lawrence has all the tools and the Jags have already been running a QB friendly system, as illustrated by Gardner Minshew being successful enough to become a bit of a media darling. One thing that Minshew could not do was take advantage of the speed that the young Jag Receivers being to the field. Lawrence throws about as nice a deep ball as you are going to see in a rookie and if he can leverage Laviska Shenault Jr. and Dede Westbrook's wheels to back the safeties off the line so James Robinson can have more success on the ground, it could be a nice step towards turning things around for Jacksonville.
PICK 2: NEW YORK JETS: Justin Fields
The Jets need so much. I really hope, for both parties, that they are able to trade Sam Darnold. They need the draft capital to restock the shelves and he is a talented player who I think could have success somewhere. Regardless, he hasn't been the answer in New York, and he won't be unless they can really change things around.
So, I project the J.E.T.S. moving on from Darnold with a QB who some would argue is the most athletically gifted in this draft, Justin Fields. Fields didn't get the chance to put as much as on tape as the other players with the Big Ten's delayed start, but he showed when he can do against Clemson. He is mobile, smart, and he can make all the throws. He won't save all the problems for the boys in Green, but he is a great piece.
PICK 3: MIAMI DOLPHINS: Penei Sewell
The Dolphins were a big surprise last year, missing the playoffs by one game in what was expected to be a rebuilding year. They have their QB of the future surrounded by some nice pieces.
They could stand to upgrade as a few positions, in my opinion, including Running Back, Tight End, Nose Tackle, Defensive End, and Middle Linebacker.
That said, if Tua is the future, then you need to let him do what he does. So, I project the Dolphins going Value over Need here and picking up Penei Sewell to upgrade the pass protection for Miami. Sewell is the consensus #1 Offensive Line prospect in this draft and will absolutely be an upgrade somewhere on the line for Miami.
PICK 4: ATLANTA FALCONS: Christian Barmore
The Falcons are a team that always seems to underperform. They have big names and demonstrable talent on their team, but that talent very rarely is on the lines. Personally, I think those 2 items are tightly linked. Having a great quarterback, solid backs, and outstanding wide receivers doesn't matter if you don't have time to execute.
The same is true on the other side of the ball. Having talented players on the back end can only do so much if you can't pressure the passer or stop the run.
With those in mind, it is clear (to me) that the Falcons should draft the best big man available. With Sewell off the board, I believe that is clearly Christian Barmore from Alabama. He has the strength to play inside and enough athleticism to play outside. He has long arms, and uses his hands well to keep Offensive linemen off of him. He can be moved up and down a 4 man front, and is as close to a guaranteed upgrade as the Falcons are going to get.
PICK 5: CINCINATTI BENGALS: RaShawn Slater
The Bengals have their QB of the future, but he has to stay on his feet. They need help up and down their line. A perfect player would have a shot at starting at tackle with the ability to fill in at other spots as well. Rashawn Slater projects the potential to be just that kind of player.
He is an athletic lineman who can use that agility as a pass blocker, but also pulls well in the running game. He is not a sexy pick, but he may be the piece they need to let their sexy picks from last year be effective.
PICK 6: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Ja'Marr Chase
Philly has needs all over the place, and they are a bit cash strapped. The trade of Carson Wentz helped with the money problem a bit, and releasing DeSean Jackson helped as well.
As for the needs all over the place, I firmly believe that the age of their wide receivers and the games missed by their elder statemen had a direct impact on the performance of their offense. They have already cut ties with DeSean Jackson and I expect that it won't be many seasons before Alshon Jeffrey will no longer be able to be a leader on this team.
So, with this draft full of potential stars at Wide Receiver, the Eagles should try to find a new #1 to pair with a talented group of young receivers. Ja'Marr Chase was good enough to make Justin Jefferson the #2 target for Joe Burrow, which says a lot for the potential of Mr. Chase.
PICK 7: DETROIT LIONS: Wyatt Davis OL
Surprisingly, the Lion don't have glaring needs. They are solid in a number of areas, but they don't have a lot of areas where they have an advantage. To my mind, this gives them an opportunity to truly draft the best available player.
On my board, at this point, that player is Wyatt Davis.
Davis is an explosive Lineman who held up well against Christian Barmore in the title game, even if he was one of the few on his side who did. He didn't play tackle at Ohio State, but I project that he could give quality snaps at 3 positions on the line which would nearly guarantee him as an upgrade for the Lions, without reaching.
PICK 8: CAROLINA PANTHERS: Kyle Pitts TE
Carolina needs difference makers. They have some interesting weapons, but they are overly dependent on Christian McCaffery. When he was in the lineup, they pushed the Chiefs to the limit. When he was out, they were punchless on offense.
Kyle Pitts is unique in this draft. He would immediately give the Panthers a Red Zone weapon and a matchup nightmare in the middle 60. He is one of the players who would have been very interesting to me at the Combine.
PICK 9: DENVER BRONCOS: Mac Jones QB
I know that there is some disagreement among Broncos fans, as well as the experts regarding the Donkeys' QB situation. Drew Lock has just enough talent to whet the appetite, but he just hasn't been consistent.
For my money, he has gotten plenty of chances and it's time to push the envelope.
Mac Jones is has the size, the arm, and the accuracy to take advantage of the young skill position players in Denver. Denver's offense has a chance to be very solid, very quickly, IF they can get consistent performance out of the Quarterback position.
PICK 10: DALLAS COWBOYS: Caleb Farley CB
Dallas has got to get better on defense.
Today's NFL calls for position flexibility. You can get that in a handful of ways. You can find a safey with the size to play in the Box.
You can find the find the edge guy, who can stand up or put his hand down.
Or you can draft a big corner who with legit cover skills who can move all over the secondary.
That is what teams hope Caleb Farley is. Farley is raw, but at 6'2" and athletic, he has real potential. Is he the guy who can pester the Zach Ertz's of the world? We'll see...
PICK 11: NEW YORK GIANTS: Micah Parsons OLB/EDGE
The Giants need a lot.
The biggest items that scream out to me when I watch them play are the edges. They don't pressure the defense on the edge and they don't pressure offenses on the edge either. Focusing on Wide Receiver and Edge players, the best player in those sets is Micah Parsons.
It helps that he is the top OLB in this draft. Some might argue that he's not the best pass rusher in the draft, but he is well rounded and is a very dangerous blitzer. A great piece for the G-Men to build around.
PICK 12: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Najee Harris RB
The Niners had a bit of a lost season after a rash of injuries. If we assume a healthy season, there just aren't a ton of gaps in their roster. There are a few spots on defense where they are aging, or could stand some depth, but one spot that is a blinking neon sign of 'DRAFT RIGHT HERE' for me is running back.
Their best talent at running back is composed of small, fast back like Raheem Mostert. They have talent, but they don't have a guy who is going to break tackle or get those tough yards.
Najee Harris will have to learn not to try and hurdle guys at this level, but he is big, fast, and can catch a bit. He has a chance to be a 3 down back.
PICK 13: SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: Travis Etienne RB
Justin Herbert put the Chargers ahead of schedule last year.
They need to improve at the skill positions and it became clear how shallow their depth chart was at running back when Austin Ekelier went out. The Chargers want to spread the ball around and they have to be able to score with some high flying offenses.
Travis Etienne is a burner who will break tackles, especially at the second level. Some are not as excited about his hands as you would expect but I have noticed significant improvement since his freshman year ,which is promising in that it shows that he will work to fill the gaps.
What I know is that you let Herbert play in a balanced offense, he is going to be a problem.
PICK 14: MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Patrick Surtain II CB
Surtain vs Farley is a 1A/1B conversation at cornerback this year. Farley is considered to be a slightly more explosive athlete, but that is no great knock against Surtain who has every measurable you could want. Pair those measurables with having been coached by first this NFL father and then the Bama coaching staff, and you have a day one starter on paper.
The Vikings are a good team, who don't have a ton of gaps. Surtain is the best available and should be an upgrade.
PICK 15: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Zach Wilson QB
The Patriots had a perfect storm last year. They had kicked the can down the road to extend their window with Brady as far as possible, then he and Gronk leave, and they lose a handful of starters off their defense to injury.
If they could have leaned on a defense that should have been solid, we may have seen Tom and Bill both in playoffs, but when you can't score, and can't stop them from scoring, it ain't gonna go your way.
One thing they did learn though, is that Cam isn't the quarterback for them. Now is a good time for them to pick a new QB to push the room and hopefully be the guy relatively soon.
Zach Wilson is an experienced QB and he is as talented as just about any guy in this draft. He is a good athlete, with more than enough mobility. He can make all the throws, and throws well on the move as well as from the pocket. Generally speaking he throws it to his guys too, which will be a nice change after this last season. He took a big jump this year, but it is hard to ignore a line like 33 TDs to 3 INTs.
Now, they need to go get some weapons.
PICK 16: ARIZONA CARDINALS: Brevin Jordan TE
This pick is going to look weird. Most boards I have looked at don't have Brevin Jordan this high, and he might be a reach. However, this is a team that doesn't need a lot and is well positioned to take a bet on upside.
With Pitts off the board, the next truly dynamic receiver at TE is to be found in Coral Gables. The U moved Jordan all over the formation to cause favorable matchups, including the backfield.
I can't help but think that having a swiss army knife type player will fit the offensive mold pretty well in the desert, especially when you know the defense has to focus on Fitz and DeAndre. Put him in a position where he has an advantage and give young Kyler a release valve who is going to be a problem after the catch.
PICK 17: LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: Asante Samuel Jr. CB
What a great draft for cornerbacks.
Here is another corner with NFL bloodlines.
Samuel is a more traditionally sized corner, but he can do the damn job. FSU wasn't what we are used to during his time, but I don't think you can put that on Asante. The Raiders need help all over their defense, but let's make it simple. They have Mahomes and Herbert twice a year each. They had better be able to cover.
PICK 18: MIAMI DOLPHINS: Jaylen Waddle WR
You know you have a disgusting draft class when the guy flagged as the #1 for the national champs isn't even the number #1 at his position at the end of the year. Even more when he is behind more than his teammate who lit the world on fire, well behind him on some board...but not mine
But, don't you dare think of Jaylen Waddle as anything but a vicious weapon on the football field.
This man is a gamebreaking player. We are talking 4.37 IN HIGH SCHOOL.
The dolphins have a #1. Put Waddle in the slot and let him take the top off.
PICK 19: WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM: DeVonta Smith WR
What do we need to say about DeVonta Smith? His route running is polished. His hands are polished. He has good speed, and adequate size.
He won the Heisman at Wide Receiver.
The WFT needs weapons, and though I have him third, that's no great slight in this draft. If he is here when they pick, they should snatch him up and call the draft a win.
PICK 20: CHICAGO BEARS: Trey Lance QB
PICK 21: INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Pat Freiermuth TE
PICK 22: TENNESSEE TITANS: Kwity Paye DE
PICK 23: NEW YORK JETS: Marvin Wilson DT
PICK 24: PITTSBURGH STEELERS: Christian Darrisaw OT
PICK 25: JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Rashod Bateman WR
PICK 26: CLEVELAND BROWNS: Dylan Moses LB
PICK 27: BALTIMORE RAVENS: Gregory Rousseau EDGE
PICK 28: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: Nick Bolton LB
PICK 29: GREEN BAY PACKERS: Jevon Holland S
PICK 30: BUFFALO BILLS: Patrick Jones II DE
PICK 31: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Jaycee Horn CB
PICK 32: TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Hamsah Nasirildeen S
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